Virtual Public Forum Reveals Serious Hardships Facing People with Disabilities During COVID-19 Crisis

Hosted by ACCESSIBILITY FOR ONTARIANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT ALLIANCE and ONTARIO AUTISM COALITION, April 7, 2020
organized by Ontario grassroots disability advocates, revealed that people with disabilities are disproportionately exposed to the risks of COVID and the hardships this pandemic is causing. Ten experts gave the government practical priority measures needed now to alleviate these hardships. today’s virtual public forum shone a spotlight on critical needs facing 2.6 million Ontarians with disabilities and over 6 million Canadians with disabilities. We regret that the Ontario Government declined to send anyone to speak at this virtual public forum about what it is doing. The Government’s line ministries that are working on crisis planning have not answered the AODA Alliance’s offers to work with them.
Anchored by Ontario Autism Coalition president Laura Kirby-McIntosh and AODA Alliance chair David Lepofsky (an Osgoode Hall Law School visiting professor).